The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1887-10-07

were well armed. The half-breed could
speak very good English. and when he
had come TO halt and looked around,
/ he said
We are sitter the woman who came
into your camp couple Of hours ago. l
see her horse over there
By what authority do you demand
herr
None Of your business. We have
come for her, and We mean TO have
her,"
DO you mean that you will take her
{ by foroeg7
4 do: and let me give you E piece of
advice. / see YOU are a tenderfoot.
+ Don't put on too many sirs in this county.
Its great place 10 have ones wings
clipped in hurry. Don't attempt any
foolishness with Us, or you'll never know
what hurt you"
] had nv Winchester in hand and two
rerolvers IN my belt. Had been hot
tempered man, there would have been
some shooting before he had concluded
his bombastic speech. / am slow to anger,
especially when human life may pay the
forfeit. and heard him through without
being rolled. The woman was hidden
away in the wagon, and had not revealed
her presence 10 thfm BY word or move.
II the woman chooses TO 90 with you,
well and good, " answered, as / looked
the fellow over by the light OF the camp
fire. If she does not you cannot take
her.
''Oh, we can't, ehl You crow pretty
loud for a spring chicken. Well, ask
the woman 10 make a choice"
The wagon WAS about ten PAGES from
the ilre, and in the shadow, although not
50 much 50 that could les sec ,i i zrs.ttZ
when / saw a black object under the
wheels, and, supposing it to be wolf, l
raised my gun and took snap shot,
caring only 70 send bullet near enough
10 drive II away. The object disappeared
with the echoes Of the report, and as /
walked along TO the wagon the two men,
who had not dismounted, accompanied
me. Standing within five feet Of the
vehicle called 10 the woman and asked
II she desired TO go with the men, and
she replied:
"ohi Sir, save me from them, even if
you have TO shoot me-"
But you've got to Gomez shouted
the half breed.
a.She shall not go," shouted at him.
Il give YOU two villains sixty seconds in
which TO leavecamp. Now gon
They we're both together, and my rifle
covered both They looked straight at
me for fifteen or twenty seconds, and
then turned and rode away in the dark
ness. followed them for a hundred
Yards, when they urged their horses TO a
gallon, aud rode 10 the north without
looking back. / stood and looked after
them until could no longer hear the
beat Of their horses hoofs, and | felt
rather proud Of my nerve in driving
them away. Il did not occur 10 me until
next day that either or both of them
could have got the drop on me up TO the
time rsised my rife, and that while
they we're making threats Of what they
would do they left their rifles lying
across their saddles. They simply per
mitted me 10 force them out of camp at
the muzzie of my Winchester, and that
was part of their plan When l re-
turned TO the fire the woman was beside
il. her face betraying fear and success,
and as soon as came up she clasped her
hands and tearful.y exclaimed;
-Oh, you viii not let them take me
aWay-you will not,'
/ assured her that they had been
driven of, and that she was safe, and her
gratitude was unbounded. 1t was now
10 O'clock and after, and Patton had not
vet returned. 1t was useless to expect
him until morning, and set about pre-
pairing the camp for the night. As there
was . strong probability that the two
men driven off would secure reinforce
ments and return during the night ] tied
that she could occupy the vehicle, and
prepared to spend the night on guard
she seemed tc oppose this latter arrange
menf, doubling II the men would return,
and declaring il WIS sacrifice on my
part she could not accept. bundled
her into the wagon, however, promising
that / might catch a nap after or ,
O'Clock If all was quiet, and by and by
let the fire go down and took my circle
around the camp with cat-like step. A
feH coyotes and wolves came about. but
nothing seemed TO disturb me, and the
hours passed away until O'Clock. By
that time was very tired and sleepy. /
dared not stretch ont for regular sleep,
knowing that the danger was not vet
passed, but I sat down on a knoll about
forty feet north Of the wagon to nap a
little, knowing that any noise of account
would instantly arouse me. Il was per-
haps aquarter Of an hour before actually
fell asleep, ald almost instantly l began
10 dream. l dreamed that | WIS tied
East 10 tree on the plains, and that a
ratflesnake was crawling toward me-
The snake was coming. 10 bite me, and l
was helpless. Every movement of the
reptile was as vivid as if the dream had
been q reality. and my mind was as clear
as bell The serpent came very slowly.
hating every two or three feet TO rear its
head and look about, and when it was
within ten feet its form changed. 1t was
yet 4 serpent, but j; had a small brown
hand, and the hand clutched bulldog
pistol. The pistol was pointed full at
me, and ] saw that the hammer was up.
"NhizZi7 went a shadow before my
face, and then ] saw behind me. The
snake was no longer In front, but creeping
up in my rear, and yet ! saw him as
plainly as before. He came on slowly
cauiiously-always little nearer. When
within three feet Of my heels the pistol
was raised to the back Of my head, and
sid to myself.
80 am 10 be shot 1t is large
ballet, and it will go clear through my
head. Iwonder Why he didn't bite met
II / was loose / would make fierce fight
for ny life
@Clugin II was the sound Of a pistol
( hammer striking on the centre of cart
rdee-a cartridge which had failed TO
explode IN tie same second was on
my feet 4 human figure stood befor
me. Igave my heavy rife half sweep,
and the figure sank down with a stifed
shrek Then I was fully awake, and /
bent over the stranger, 70 md it was the
woman who should have been asleep in
the wagon. She was unconscious. but
clutched firmly in her right hand was
bulldog pistol Iwrenched it away and
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